World

A two-year report on Germany's partial cannabis legalization introduced in 2024 has been published, with conservative ministers from the CDU and CSU parties labeling the law a "mistake" and "a complete nonstarter" while demanding changes. Health Minister Nina Warken pointed to declining early intervention numbers among children and youth, and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt alleged a booming black market and rising criminality, highlighting law enforcement concerns.

Iran's Foreign Ministry has denied claims by US President Donald Trump that Tehran requested a ceasefire. Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei reportedly called the assertions "false and baseless." Trump had earlier posted on his Truth Social platform that "Iran's New Regime President" made the request, though Iran's president remains unchanged since the war began.

A court in Lahore has ruled in favor of prominent Pakistani singer Ali Zafar in his defamation case against fellow singer Meesha Shafi. On Tuesday, the court ordered Shafi to pay Zafar 5 million rupees ($17,900) in damages, marking a significant development in a high-profile legal battle that began in 2018.

Two civil society leaders in the United Kingdom have been found guilty of breaching protest conditions during a pro-Palestine demonstration in London last year. Ben Jamal, 62, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Chris Nineham, 63, vice chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, were convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday for failing to comply with police-imposed conditions that required the protest to remain within a designated area in central London and avoid the surroundings of the British Broadcasting Corporation's headquarters on January 18, 2025.

A senior Iranian official has denied US President Donald Trump's claim that Iran's "new regime president" has requested a ceasefire, as the United States and Israel continue their military campaign against the country. Reporting from the Iranian capital on Wednesday, Al Jazeera's Ali Hashem said an Iranian official rejected Trump's social media post alleging that, "Iran's New Regime President … has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!" Hashem stated, "The Iranians are denying that they've asked for any ceasefire."

Stephen Lewis, the Canadian diplomat, politician, and human rights advocate who dedicated decades to focusing global attention on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, has died of cancer at the age of 88. Lewis served as Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, led Ontario's New Democratic Party, and was a prominent figure in international efforts to combat the pandemic.

The governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan have initiated negotiations to resolve a border conflict. The meeting is taking place in Urumqi, China, and is organized within a trilateral mechanism. Afghan authorities approached China to request assistance in facilitating this dialogue.

Several major news outlets, including Fox News, the New York Post, and The Independent, falsely reported that the government of Somaliland had called for the extradition of U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar. These stories were based on a post from the X (formerly Twitter) account @RepOfSomaliland, which stated, “Extradition? Say the word…”. However, this account is not an official government channel, a fact publicly clarified by Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December.

Iranian cities including Tehran, Isfahan, and others were targeted by US and Israeli airstrikes, with local commanders stating readiness for a protracted war of attrition that could involve potential US ground incursions. Industrial zones and pharmaceutical facilities were among the key targets, highlighting the strategic nature of the attacks.

A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report published on Tuesday revealed that the US-Israel war against Iran has inflicted severe economic damage across the Middle East. The report projects that a month of conflict could shrink the region's GDP by approximately 3.7–6%, equivalent to a contraction of $120–194 billion, while leading to the loss of 3.7 million jobs and pushing an additional 4 million people below the poverty line.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, in phone calls with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, allegedly promised to support Kremlin interests, including increasing pressure on Ukraine and lifting sanctions on Russian companies, oligarchs, and their relatives. This is detailed in leaked call recordings obtained by The Insider, VSquare, Delfi Estonia, and ICJK editorial offices. The recordings include a conversation from August 30, 2024, where Szijjarto expressed concern over his words being quoted in Russian media, and Lavrov purportedly praised him for acting pragmatically in his country's interests.

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed al-Ansari stated that Iran has crossed "many red lines" during its ongoing attacks on neighboring countries, emphasizing the need for de-escalation as the US-Israel war with Iran continues with no clear end in sight. During a news conference on Tuesday, al-Ansari highlighted that Iranian attacks on Qatar are having a "catastrophic effect on the relationship between the two countries."